Saturn Occultation Seen for First Time in 22 Years

TOKYO, Dec 10 (News On Japan) - The rare celestial event known as Saturn occultation, where Saturn hides behind the Moon, was visible Sunday night for the first time in 22 and a half years under conditions minimally affected by sunlight or moonlight.

While some areas of Japan did not experience the phenomenon, in the Kanto region, observers witnessed Saturn disappearing behind the Moon's "12 o'clock" position and reemerging at the "3 o'clock" position. The event was successfully photographed in remarkable detail, even capturing Saturn's rings.

Source: TBS

Hokkaido Shinkansen Sapporo Extension Delayed by 12 Years

The long-delayed extension of the Hokkaido Shinkansen to Sapporo is facing further setbacks, with the opening now pushed back by more than a decade and total project costs projected to more than double, even as construction steadily advances on the ground.

Water Gushes From Kasumigaseki Station

Water erupted from near the ceiling of an underground passage inside Tokyo Metro’s Kasumigaseki Station in Chiyoda Ward at around 6:00 p.m. on January 14th, in what the operator believes was caused by a burst water supply pipe.

Hokkaido to Ease Brown Bear Alerts

Hokkaido is set to relax the criteria for issuing its so-called “brown bear alert,” making it possible to release warnings even before human injuries occur, as the prefecture seeks to respond more flexibly to the early appearance of dangerous animals.

Japan Welcomes New Generation of Adults

Ceremonies celebrating those turning 20 were held across Japan on January 12th, with events taking place nationwide to mark Coming of Age Day.

China Begins Restricting Rare Earth Exports to Japan, U.S. Paper Reports

The Wall Street Journal reported on January 8th, citing two Chinese exporters, that the Chinese government has started imposing limits on shipments of rare earths and related materials bound for Japan.

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